Dr Despina Moschou, an expert in diagnostic devices based in the University of Bath’s Department for Electronic & Electrical Engineering and the Centre for Bioengineering & Biomedical Technologies (CBio), has been elected a Fellow of EAMBES, a leading medical and biological engineering association.
Dr Moschou, who has developed Lab-on-Chip diagnostic devices including the world’s fastest high-quality COVID-19 test while at Bath, was made a Fellow of the European Alliance of Medical and Biological Engineering and Science (EAMBES) last month.
EAMBES is a not-for-profit international organization that seeks to improve the health and wellbeing of European citizens by the application of Medical and Biological Engineering and Science.
“It’s a huge honour to be elected to such an influential and prestigious organisation as EAMBES,” says Dr Moschou. “It’s an acknowledgement of years of work and research alongside my colleagues and peers. I’m very happy to be the first Bath academic elected to EAMBES, and feel it is a recognition of the extensive support the University and the Faculty of Engineering & Design provides to research in biological and healthcare engineering.”
As well as the portable LoCKAmp COVID-sensing device, which within 3 minutes completes ‘gold standard’ genetic-based testing techniques previously only possible in a lab, Dr Moschou has filed eight patents relating to Lab-on-Chip microsystems, Lab-on-printed circuit board and diagnostic technologies. She has founded two companies, biotIP Ltd and Tesla Diagnostix, which has developed VitaLibra, the world’s first device to use patients’ saliva to accurately monitor glucose levels.
In 2023, Dr Moschou helped to secure UK Research & Innovation funding for the Building Unconventional Engineering Careers: Creating Your Unique Fit project, which equips the Bath engineering graduates from diverse background with entrepreneurial skills.
She also supervises the student engineering team, Team Bath Biodevices without Borders, which has developed a portable water quality monitor to help to rapidly detect and map safe water sources for communities around the world.